Child and baby death rates have declined dramatically over the past 30 years according to official statistics. In 2002 there were six deaths per 1,000 boys under a year compared with 20.2 per thousand in 1971. For girls the rate fell from 15.5 in 1971 to 4.6 in 2002.

Death rates for older children have also fallen. In 1971 there were 0.5 deaths per thousand boys between one and 15, compared with 0.2 per cent in 2002. Girls' death rate fell from 0.4 to 0.1.

- Social Trends, the annual digest of social statistics from the National Statistical Office at www.statistics.gov.uk/